Combined scrubbing and vacuum-cleaning device



` 1 l 625 147 April 19,1927. A ONOFRIO 'coMBNED SCRUBBING AND VACUUM CLEANING DEVICE Filed. Nov. 21, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. d si@ /zaffzb A TTORNE Y.

A ril 19 1927. O

Ap A. oNoFRlo -GOMBINED SCRUBBING AND VACUUM CLEANING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 241. 1924 LIZ x l l l l l A TTORNE Y.

Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

UNITED STATES x V 1,625,147 PATENT OFFICE.

,@NASTAS ONGFBIO, OF DETROIT, .MICHIGAN COMBINED SCRUBBING AND 4VAC'U''Jlll-CLEAILTI'NG DEVICE.

' Application led November 21, 1924. Serial No. 751,249.

, from a suitably located tank adapted to contain cleaning fluid, power driven suction mechanism having an intake arranged to cover the surface to be cleaned following its being acted upon by the scrubbing brush and an exhaust adapted to discharge into the cleaning Huid tank, and a separate. receptacle having a connection capable of being detachably coupled with the exhaust of said suction mechanismto receive` the discharge i thereof.

A meritorious feature is the provision in a device of this character of a rotary scrubbing brush fed with cleaning fluid from a tank and provided with means for cleaning the brush during its rotation and discharging such cleanings into the tank and suction mechanism adapted for joint operation with the brush oroperation independently thereof, which suction mechanism is'suitably encased within the interior of the tank and has an intake disposed vrearwardly of the scrubbing brush t-.o -collect the water and other material left on the floor in the rear of they scrubbing brush and discharge the same into said tank.

An independent receptacle 'for sweeping is provided having a suitable connection adapted to be detachably coupled to the discharge of said suction apparatus to receive the exhaust thereof if it is desired to so de liver it.

The above objects and others together with the construction of the preferred embodiment of my invention'illustrated in the accompanying drawing,.will appear from the following specification and appended claim.

Tn the drawings: f

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved device.

Fig. 2 is' a vertical sectional view taken.A

on line 2-2 of Fig; 3.

Fig. 3 is a plan of my improved device. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view through'the tank below thetop wall thereof.

My invention is intended to embody 4in a unitary structure, apparatus capable of performing a scrubbing operation and a vacuum cleaning operation and is so constructed that these functions may be performed simultaneously or independently and comprises a tank or casing formed in separate sections suitably secured together and here illustrated as consisting of a lower section 1 0, and a top section 12, provided with abutting flanges-and suitable bolts whereby the p sections may be fastened to each other. I provide a rotary scrubbing brush 16 mounted upon a suitably sup orted axle 18 to rotate with the axle. T e tank has a filler opening 20 and an interior end 'wall 22 shaped to follow the-contour of the scrubbing brush 16: The tank has an outlet 24 controlled by a valve 26 which is here shown as provided with a suitable handle 14 whereby the valve may be opened and closed through which cleaning. fluid carried in the tank is permitted to pass to an independent compartment 28 which extends lengthwise the scrubbing brush 16 and has suitable outlet apertures 3() through which cleaning fluid vis discharged to said scrubbing brush. An

apron 32 which may be formed of rubber is secured to the casing to extend'along underneath the scrubbing brush, as illustrated in Fig. 2. At the top of the endwall 22 there is a flexible scraper 34 which may be constructed of rubber and which is'adapted to scrape the cleaning fluid -fromthe scrubbing brush which rotates in thevdirection oi:v

the arrow shdwn in Fig. 2 and. discharges the cleanings back into the cleaning uid tank.

This scrubbing brush may be driven by a motor 36 havin a shaft 38 and driving member 40 mounte at one end thereof connected' Aby means of a suitable driving connection 42 with. a driving member 44 mounted upon the adjacent end of the axle 18 of the scrubbing brush.

lf provide .suitable suction mechanism in the form of a blower 46 mounted within a casin 48 within the interior of the cleaning fluid tank. This casing may bp supported on the floor of the tank by a suitable standard 50. This blower has an inlet pipe 52 which leads to aaintake 54 disposed beneath the tank at the opposite end from the scrubbing brush and in proximity to a rota sweeper'56. Y

he sweeper 56 is carried by a suitably supported axle 58 having at one end a driving member 60 over which passes a driving connection such as a chain 62 which is driven from a driving member 64 mounted upon the cnd of the motor shaft opposite theV end upon which is mounted the driving member 40, The bottom wall 10 of the tank extendsas at 65 over the sweeper 56. A suitable apron 68 extends downwardly from the front of the tank in proximity of the sweeper 56. The nosepiece or intake 54 of the suction mechanisrn is disposed adjacent and underneath the sweeper 56, as appears in Fig. 2 which sweeper rotates in the direction of the arrow there shown. The blower 46 is mounted upon a shaft 70 on the out-er end of which is mounted a driving member 7 2 over which passes the driving connection 32 so that the blower and scrubbing brush are driven as a single unit.

I provide an independent dust receptacl 74 having an inlet pipe 76 which is adapted to be detachably coupled to the outlet 78 of the blower casing to receive the discharge thereof. lThis exhaust 78 of the blower casing normally discharges within the interior of the tank. The tank is provided with a tubular connection 8O normally closed by a removable plug 82 but adapted to receive one end of the inlet pipe 76 of the receptacle 74 to couple said inlet with the end of fille outlet of the blower 78, as appears in lrhave shown my apparatus provided with a handle 84 adapted to be inserted in a socket 86, one of which is provided at each end of the casing and suitably fastened therein as by means of a pin 88.

There is also shown a support 90 from the upper end of the dust bag 7 4 to a hook on the handle 84.

For operation, the tank is lled with suitable cleaning fluid. Valve 26 is opened to permit the discharge of said cleaning fluid to the scrubbing brush 1G. The scrubbing brush blower and sweeper are all driven from the motor and vthe intake 54 of the suction mechanism being disposed rearward- Iy of the scrubbing brush follows the same over the Hoor to remove the moisture and dirt left in the rear of the scrubbing brush and in normal operation discharges such dirt into the tank. As heretofore described, the scrubbing brush is itself cleaned during its rotation and the discharge therefrom is also exhausted into the tank. There may be pro-- vided a drain plug 92 by means of which the tank may be drained.

If it is desired to operate the vacuum cleaning apparatus independently of the scrubbing mechanism the driving connection may be removed from the scrubbing mechanisln or the valve 2G may be closed and the scrubbing brush allowed to rotate, and thc machine is operated in the same manner as a vacuum cleaner. In case this latter practice is followed, the dust bag 74 may be connected with the discharge 7 8 of the blower to receive the exhaust through the blower instead of permitting such exhaust to discharge into the cleaning fluid tank.

I provide at each end of the casing two supporting legs 94, one on each side of the casing. Each leg has a suitable caster to engage the lloor,

What I claim is:

In a floor cleaning machine, a cleaning fluid tank having an arcuate end Wall, a scrubbing brush rotatably supported at the end of the tank in proximity to the arcuate end wall thereof, said end wall terminating at its upper end in a flexible scraper sloping upwardly and engaging the periphery7 of the brush during rotation to scrape cleanings therefrom to flow over the scraper into the tank,said end wall terminating at its lower end in a lexiblc apron sloping downwardly alongside the brushV an independent fluid containing compartment within the tank adjacent to the arcuate end wall thereof and extending alongside the brush communicating with the tank by a valve-controlled passageway and provided with a plurality of discharge openings through said arcuate end wall above the flexible apron.

In testimony whereof, I sign this speciication.

` ANASTAS ONOFRIO. 

